haemostatic clamp



March 24, 1964 A. J. SMIALOWSKI 3,126,005

HAEMOSTATIC CLAMP Original Filed Jan. 10, 1962 INVENTOR du xfmwm PATENTAGENT United States Patent Ofiice 3,126,005 Patented Mar. 24, 19643,126,005 HAEMOSTATIC CLAMP Antoni J. Smialowski, Ottawa, Ontario,Canada, assignor to National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario, Cauada,a corporation of Canada Continuation of application Ser. No. 165,436,Jan. 10, 1962. This application Apr. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 276,135 4Claims. (Cl. 128-325) This invention relates to haemostatic clamps.

This application is a continuation of application Serial No. 165,436,filed January 10, 1962.

The conventional type of haemostatic clamp is a simple device comprisinga pair of arms having flat opposed substantially parallel surfaces whichengage the blood vessel to press together in engaging relation twoopposed portions of its wall. The resultant flattened portion of theblood vessel therefore has a width appreciably greater than the diameterof the undistorted vessel.

Such clamping of the vessel necessarily produces two sharp folds in thevessel.

Moreover, in the use of devices for suturing the severed ends ofvessels, such as is disclosed in copending application entitled SuturingInstrument, filed concurrently herewith, and wherein it is necessary topass the severed ends of the vessel through tubular bushings forapplication of suturing clips, it is quite desirable that the bloodvessel ends be aligned as accurately as possible in axial relation tothe bushings to facilitate the insertion procedure.

It is an object of this invention to provide a haemostatic clamp ofsimple structure which may be employed to apply effective clampingpressure to the blood vessel and which acts to compress the vesselradially inwardly from more than two directions whereby the externalsurface of the compressed vessel lies substantially within the externalcircumference of the uncompressed vessel.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a haemostatic clampin accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the clamp,

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the clamp,

FIGURE 4 is a partial plan view of the clamp as applied to a bloodvessel,

FIGURE 5 is a partial plan view of the clamp in clamping position,

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a modified form of clamp, and

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of the clamp shown in FIGURE 6.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 5, the clamp illustrated comprises a pair ofarms 1 of fiat strip form and of suitable material such as stainlesssteel. As shown, each arm has a free or outer end carrying a jaw 2, anintermediate body portion 3, and an inner end provided with a flange 4extending substantially right angularly to the body portion.

Each arm is carried by a flat metal spring 5 having one end fixed toflange 4 and its other end fixed to a bracket 6. The two springs 5extend from the bracket in laterally aligned spaced relation. Eachspring is inwardly bowed at 7 towards the other spring and then flaresoutwardly into engagement with flange 4. It will be observed that eachflange 4 is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of therespective body portion 3 whereby the arms 1 may be directed across eachother in scissors-like form. The arms 1 are disposed with a flat sidesurface of one arm in engagement with a flat side surface of the otherarm.

Each jaw 2 comprises an inclined end edge surface 8 and an inwardlyoffset end section 9 having an edge surface 10 extending substantiallyat right angles to edge surface 8. I

It will be apparent that the springs 5 will urge jaws 2 together and inthe at rest position of the instrument, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, theoffset sections 9 will be in overlying engagement and extend across eachother with each edge surface 8 of one jaw in engagement with an edgesurface 10 of the other jaw, thus assuring a squeezing action ratherthan a shearing action.

Means for varying the pressure applied by the springs 5 comprise afulcrum member 11 having a projection such as an annular flange 12freely seated in slots 13 in the springs. The member 11 is disposedbetween the springs and between the bracket 6 and the bowed sections 7of the springs and is retained in such position by pressure of thesprings thereon. It will be apparent, however, that movement of themember 11 towards or away from the bracket will vary the pressure of thesprings which is directed in a jaw-closing direction.

In operation the jaws 2 are sprung apart, as shown in FIGURE 4 bypressure applied to the flanges 4. It will be apparent that this isaccomplished by a simple thumb and finger squeezing action. In thisposition, the clamp is applied to the blood vessel 14 which is readilyreceivable between the jaws. Release of pressure on the flanges 4 willpermit the springs to close the jaws into a position approaching thatshown in FIGURE 5. In this position, a generally square opening isformed between the jaws and the vessel extends through such opening withthe four edge surfaces 8 and 10 of the opening engaging and applyingpressure on the vessel from four directions in a simultaneous andsubstantially uniform degree. Thus, the exterior cross-sectional contourof the compressed section of the vessel will lie within the externalcircumference of the uncompressed vessel. Thus, the compressed endportion of the vessel may be readily inserted through a tubular bushing.

A clamp may, if desired, be releasably mounted on each side of thesuturing instrument described in the said copending application, as bymeans of projections 15a and 15, whereby each clamp is positioned inproper relative position to the instrument and the bushings carriedthereby.

FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of clamp wherein a pair ofarms 16 each having a jaw 17, similar to jaw 2, are pivoted together at18. A flat spring 19 fixed by bracket 20 to each arm urges the jawstogether. Projections 21 and 22 correspond to projections 15a and 15.

I claim:

1. A haemostatic clamp comprising a pair of arms having engagingsurfaces, means securing adjacent ends of said arms together forswinging movement of said arms relative to each other, each said armhaving a free end and a jaw on said free end, each said jaw having apair of contiguous straight surfaces inclined with respect to eachother, each said jaw surface being disposed in substantially paralleland in directly opposed relation to one of said jaw surfaces of theother of said jaws, one of said surfaces of each jaw being laterallyoffset with respect to the other of said surfaces.

2. A haemostatic clamp comprising a pair of arms having engagingsurfaces, means securing adjacent ends of said arms together forswinging movement of said arms relative to each other, each said armhaving a free end and a jaw on said free end, each said jaw having apair of contiguous straight surfaces inclined with respect to eachother, each said jaw surface being disposed in substantially paralleland in directly opposed relation to one of said jaw surfaces of theother of said jaws, and spring means fixed to saidarms and urging saidja ws into closed position, one of said surfaces of each jaw beinglaterally offset with respect to the other of said surfaces.

3. A haemostatic clamp comprising a pair of arms having ;fiat engagingsurfaces, asupporting bracket, ,a flat spring connecting eachsaidarm ,tosaid bracket, each said arm having a free end and a jaw on said freeend, each said jaw having a pair of straight surfaces laterally oifsetand inclined with respect to each other, each of said jaw surfaces ofone jaw being disposed ,in substantially ,parailel and directly opposedrelation to one of said jaw 4 surfaces of the other of said jaws, saidsprings urging said jaws together.

4. A haemostatic clamp as defined in claim 4, including a fulcrum memberdisposed between said springs and having an external cylindrical surfaceengaging said springs, said fulcrum member being adjustably movabletowards and away from said bracket said springs being swingable aboutsaid cylindrical surface of said fulcrum member.

No references cited.

1. A HAEMOSTATIC CLAMP COMPRISING A PAIR OF ARMS HAVING ENGAGINGSURFACES, MEANS SECURING ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID ARMS TOGETHER FORSWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID ARMS RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, EACH SAID ARMHAVING A FREE END AND A JAW ON SAID FREE END, EACH SAID JAW HAVING APAIR OF CONTIGUOUS STRAIGHT SURFACES INCLINED WITH RESPECT TO EACHOTHER, EACH SAID JAW SURFACE BEING DISPOSED IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLELAND IN DIRECTLY OPPOSED RELATION TO ONE OF SAID JAW SURFACES OF THEOTHER OF SAID JAWS, ONE OF SAID SURFACES OF EACH JAW BEING LATERALLYOFFSET WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER OF SAID SURFACES.